Saturday, September 14, 2013

Disclosure: I am being compensated by PetArmor for my participation in this campaign, as a member of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network. However, all views are mine and mine alone.

"PetArmor is an effective solution for flea and tick protection
for both dogs and cats. It KILLS the four major types of ticks including those
that carry Lyme disease. PetArmor contains the same No. 1 vet-recommended
active ingredient Fipronil found in Frontline brand products, and provides the
same protection against adult fleas and ticksm but is available for
significantly less."

This past year has been very tough, especially in May. While May should have been a celebratory month, as my oncologists told me I was in remission, after being 5 years out of cancer treatment for stage 2 cancer with clean scans. But, a part of me was missing. I don't know if you remember, but I shared earlier this year that we had to put one of our dogs done. Abby, was only 5 years old at the time. She was diagnosed with seizures a few years back, but seemed to go only get 1-2 every few months, so the vets didn't worry much. But, then one day I noticed Abby at the top of the steps just sitting there with a blank stare. I feel so bad still, as I was too busy with the girls to stop and really take a look at her. But, once the girls went down for a nap, I went to check in on her and noticed she was still sitting there. After further examination I realized she had had a seizure -- and was still out of it. I called my husband and asked him to come home early so we could take Abby to the vet. That night she become paralyzed and started losing all bodily functions. Out of nowhere she got sick, and then we had to made painful, yet needed decision to put her down. She was in pain, and there was nothing we could do to fix her. My ties with Abby ran deep, as I rescued her a week before I started cancer treatment. And, during my entire cancer treatment and post care, while staying at my parents house, she was by my side. If you have pets, then you have experienced the power of pet therapy. Even though Abby was a little dog, she was my strength. On those days I wanted to throw in the towel and stop the radiation or chemo treatments, she would nestle next to me, give me wet kisses, and just stay with me.

Manny is on the left, Lily is in the center, and Abby is on the right

I so wish she could have been with me this past May to celebrate my remission, as we went through my cancer journey together. But, like my cancer diagnosis, which came out of nowhere and shook my world upside down, Abby's health and quick deterioration blindsided us. I think of Abby often, and cherish the time we had together. I am also grateful I was able to be by her side the final hours of her life. That night after she was brought home from the vet, I laid on the floor next to her, praying to God that He heal her. I guess I was a little selfish, wanting to keep her around. But, it was her time to go. What made it even harder was that we had to put down our oldest dog due to health issues a few short months prior to Abby's passing. Maybe Manny needed a friend and that is why Abby had to leave us. Now, we are left with Lily, who I rescued a few weeks after cancer treatment, mainly as a companion for Abby, as Manny was a grumpy old dog and didn't care much for Abby. Abby and Lily were inseparable, sleeping together, playing together, etc. Even though Lily was 3 years old, her smaller size made it look like Abby was older. And, Abby assumed the role of big sister perfectly. While our worlds have been rocked with the loss of two of our beloved pets, we still need to look after and protect Lily, to help prevent deadly diseases like Lyme Disease.

We will in the country, with a backyard filled with woods. So, we need to make sure we keep Lily up to date on her vaccines and apply flea and tick treatment monthly, along with her heartworm pill. Because Lily has black hair, it is hard to spot ticks on her. So, whenever she comes in, we have to feel all around her fur to see if she has any ticks on her. But, there have been a few occasions, where she went out at night time, and we didn't find and pull of ticks until the next day. Thankfully, with the help of flea and tick products, which are available through your vet or over the counter, we were protecting Lily.

While I usually use prescription flea and tick products, I was recently sent a sample of PetArmor Flea, Tick and chewing Lice preventative care for Dogs to try out. With the same #1 active ingredient, Fipronil, found in name brand flea and tick vet prescribed products, PetArmor provides the same protection to your pet against fleas, ticks. So, what is the difference between PetArmor and those prescription products? Price! I don't know about you, but I find myself spending a fortune each year when I take my dog to the vet for her annual exam. They seem to charge for every little thing. And, the prescription flea and tick and heartworm products are a couple hundred dollars for a 3-4 month supply. Crazy, huh? But, we love our pets, and want to do anything we can to protect them from deadly diseases. So, we spend top dollar on these products. But, after trying out PetArmor this past month, I have to say that I now have a new flea and tick protection product. This past summer was very damp with tons of mosquitoes and ticks out in full force. We found ourselves pulling 1-2 ticks off of Lily each and every time she would come in. Even though we had applied prescription flea and tick treatment, it didn't seem to help. That was until, it came time to apply last month's dose. Instead of the expensive product, i went with the $22.00 PetArmor flea and tick product I was sent to review (which contained a 3-month dose with 3 individual disposable pipettes). I noticed that this product didn't have a strong chemical smell like the other product who have been using for years. And, it dried quicker too, which is a must as we have little ones who like to play with the dog. Almost instantly we saw how well this product worked. Expecting to find ticks on Lily, we had the tweezers ready. But, the day after applying we were able to put the tweezers away, as the ticks stayed away. :-) This long lasting treatment is also waterproof, which makes Lily's love for baths and playing in the rain possible, without worrying about the flea and tick application being washed away.We just applied our second dose of PetArmor on Lily the other day, and continue to see this fast acting flea and tick (as well as chewing lice) application to work amazing. And, the best part, beyond being able to protect Lily from deadly diseases like Lyme Disease, is how much we are saving each month. I can either choose to buy a full year's worth of PetArmor applicators at one time, and not break the bank. As a busy mom on the go, I love this option, as I oftentimes found myself running out of the prescription medicine and needing to stop by the vet's to pick up more.

PetArmor is found at most local retailers like Walmart and Target, as well as through online retailers, making it an affordable, convenience flea and tick treatment option, that is comparable to major prescription products. I don't see the need to go back to prescription products, now that I have experienced the effectiveness of PetArmor. If you have pets and apply monthly prescription flea and tick treatments to them, but hate the cost you incur, why not consider checking out PetArmor products, which are available for both dogs and cats today? Help protect your furry friends from deadly diseases, while keeping your hard earned money in your wallet. :-)

For more information about
PetArmor products that can protect your pet from fleas and ticks this fall visit petarmor.com. Additional background information about ticks can be found
at TickEncounter.org.

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